Workplace Health and Safety

Workplace Health and Safety Student Program

General Component

Welcome to the Safety Sense General component, an on-line health and safety induction package for secondary school students undertaking work placements and work experience as part of their school curriculum.This general package is designed to help young people improve their knowledge and understanding of workplace health and safety issues before they enter the workplace. It is also useful for young people who are already in the workplace.

Safety Sense contains information on:

workplace health and safety laws;
manual handling;
hazardous substances;
noise;
electricity;
mechanical equipment;
responsibilities of employers and employees;
health and safety representatives and committees;
resolving health and safety problems.

This package will help you understand workplace health and safety hazards and laws and provide some practical solutions to common health and safety problems.

When you have read the information there are some questions designed to make sure you have understood the key points.

If you complete the package successfully you will receive an on-line Safety Sense Certificate issued by the Department of Industrial Relations. This Safety Sense Certificate recognises your understanding of basic workplace health and safety and prepares you for your experience in workplaces.

Safety Sense is a Workplace Health and Safety Queensland initiative.

Introduction
Your first job, whether it's full-time, part-time, casual or an apprenticeship, can be an exciting and demanding experience as new responsibilities and expectations are placed on you in a working environment.

Employers provide students with valuable opportunities to gain experience in the workplace. It is important to understand that employers have responsibilities towards you, and that you also have responsibilities towards them.

Health and safety at work is everyone's responsibility.
While you are at a workplace on a work placement or for work experience, the employer is responsible for ensuring the workplace is safe, including:

providing safe work areas, machinery and equipment;
providing information, instruction, training and supervision; and
providing protective equipment.

The employer must ensure that your safety or health is not harmed in any way.

You must take responsibility for looking after your own health and safety, and not put others at risk. This includes:

following safety instructions;
using equipment carefully; and
reporting hazards and injuries.

Young workers are usually keen to work hard and do well. They also have a much higher risk of being injured at work than older workers.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland believes one reason so many young workers are injured is that they are not made aware of their rights to be properly trained, supervised, cared for and provided with a safe and healthy environment.

The next section deals with common hazards.